Boss Super Distortion & Feedbacker DF-2

A really cool stomp box for noise with knobs for Level, Tone, Dist(Distortion). The best feature is it's ability to generate feedback when the footswitch is depressed and held. This kicks in the "Superfeedbacker", and the tone of the feedback is set with the Overtone knob. The name of this pedal was changed by Boss to "Super Feedbacker & Distortion" when a lawsuit was brought against them by DiMarzio, Inc. for using the name "Super Distortion" which is a registered trademark for a guitar pickup. If you have one of these rare pedals, hang on to it!

User Reviews of the Boss Super Distortion & Feedbacker DF-2

Submitted by Anthony from Melbourne (62 points) on Nov 7, 2008

The distortion doesn't suit every input signal, but it has its uses. I've got a cheap japanese guitar from the 60's that suits it ina mushy fuzz kind of way.
The distortion isn't the draw card here though its it?
The feedbacker is a little bit of a gimmick but can be very useful for creating a drone with which to play chords along to.
I imagine it syncs to pitch best when first in a signal chain.
Its a little different to an ebow or a sustainer pickup but useful none the less.

Good Points: The sustain of notes can be a real help to creating sound layers/textures.

Submitted by kinetic turtle from Oakland, CA (158 points) on May 13, 2008

This is exactly the same pedal as the "SUPER
Feedbacker & Distortion". BOSS changed the name of
the exact same circuit due to copyright conflicts.
I haven't had these same problems with super thin
distortion, although supposedly the distortion circuit is
the same as the DS-1, which is thin and shitty.
Regardless, the feedbacker effect is the real star
here. Generates false harmonics which can be
modified as it plays.

Good Points: Feedbacker is neat, and unavailable on any other device.

Bad Points: Can't activate the feedbacker without the distortion
already on. Distortion is not very exciting, but really not
as bad as everyone says.

I tested this pedal several years ago from a friend and if it wouldn't be for the Feedbacker device, this pedal would be obsolete. Although the Feedbacker is nice live and you can twist the knob to blend a harsher feedback, which can add colour to your mix, forget the distortion part, unless you need a quiet sort of distortion with minimal bottom end. Not a total waste but try to borrow it or buy it for really cheap.

Not an especially high gain, or thick sounding distortion. The only thing that sets it apart from other Boss distortions is that if you hold the pedal down it will generate artificial feedback that will last as long as you hold the pedal down. That is, if the signal you put through it is within the bandwidth that this pedal will generate "feedback" for. Bear in mind that they designed this thing with guitar in mind, so any sound that is too high or low frequency will not get the false feedback. The feedback will swell in a bit gradually (not too slowly, but it's a nice swell), and will begin to oscillate like a weak tremelo after a while of holding the pedal down. The drawback to the "hold the pedal down" design is that it can be a little difficult to shut the thing off in a hurry. It takes a bit of practice...

Good Points: Artificial feedback can add a certain thickness to you signal. And the feedback oscillates in an interesting way when used in front of other modulation type effects.

Bad Points: Thin sounding distortion. Difficult to shut off in a hurry. And it's becoming a collector's item due to the lawsuit, so they're fetching artificially high prices.